An Inland Empire railroad crossroads where Santa Fe, Union Pacific, Pacific Electric, Amtrak, and multiple Metrolink routes converge.
Overview
Riverside has among the most varied railroad histories in inland Southern California. Railroads helped connect the city’s citrus industry with national markets, brought competing passenger routes into the community, and supported Riverside’s development as an important commercial center.
Today, Riverside-Downtown is a major multi-line passenger-rail station in the Inland Empire. It is served by three Metrolink routes and Amtrak’s Southwest Chief, while nearby historic railroad buildings preserve the legacies of the Santa Fe and Union Pacific systems.
Modern Metrolink service reached Riverside on June 14, 1993, with the opening of the Riverside Line and the Riverside-Downtown station. Additional regional connections followed through the Inland Empire-Orange County Line and the 91/Perris Valley Line.
Quick Facts
| Location | Riverside, California |
| County | Riverside County |
| Primary Passenger Facility | Riverside-Downtown Station |
| Riverside-Downtown Opened | June 14, 1993 |
| Current Passenger Operators | Amtrak; Metrolink |
| Metrolink Services | Riverside Line; Inland Empire-Orange County Line; 91/Perris Valley Line |
| Amtrak Service | Southwest Chief |
| Historic Railroads | California Southern; Santa Fe; San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake; Union Pacific; Pacific Electric |
| Current Freight Railroads | BNSF Railway; Union Pacific Railroad |
| Historic Depot | San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake (Union Pacific) Depot, 1904; National Register 1977 |
Historical Background
Riverside Before Direct Rail Service
Riverside was founded in 1870, but its earliest residents lacked a direct railroad connection. Travelers and shippers initially relied on the Southern Pacific station at Colton. The California Southern Railway established a closer connection on the eastern side of Riverside in 1882, although the stop remained outside downtown.
Santa Fe Reaches Downtown Riverside
In 1885, the Santa Fe chartered the Riverside, Santa Ana and Los Angeles Railway to build through Riverside toward Orange County and Los Angeles. Passenger trains were reaching downtown Riverside by the mid-1880s, and citrus shipments soon followed.
The railroad became essential to Riverside’s agricultural economy, particularly its citrus industry, by connecting growers and packing houses with distant markets.
Santa Fe Passenger and Freight Operations
- Citrus packing houses
- Agricultural shippers
- Local manufacturers
- Passenger travel
- Mail and express traffic
- Connections with Los Angeles and the national rail network
Union Pacific and the Salt Lake Route
The San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad constructed a passenger depot at 3751 Vine Street; it opened when the first train arrived on March 12, 1904. Union Pacific acquired the route and station in 1921. Passenger service continued until the beginning of the Amtrak era in May 1971, and the historic depot was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 18, 1977 (No. 77000326).
Pacific Electric Service
Pacific Electric also served Riverside, adding interurban electric transportation to the city’s mix of main-line passenger trains, freight rail service, and local transit connections. Local Pacific Electric streetcars served the Salt Lake Route depot via a terminal at Seventh and Vine Streets until 1924.
Historic Railroad Buildings
Union Pacific Depot
The surviving Union Pacific depot is one of Riverside’s most significant railroad landmarks. Future WRA coverage should document its architecture, historic interior features, passenger operations, Pacific Electric connections, present use, and then-and-now views.
Santa Fe Railway Sites
- Former depot locations
- Freight houses
- Packing-house districts
- Surviving railroad buildings
- Historic track alignments
- Highgrove railroad facilities
- Citrus shipping infrastructure
- Reused or relocated railroad structures
Riverside-Downtown Station
Riverside-Downtown is the city’s principal contemporary passenger-rail station, bringing together regional and long-distance passenger operations in an active railroad setting.
Metrolink Riverside Line
The Riverside Line connects Riverside with Jurupa Valley, Ontario, Pomona, Industry, and Los Angeles Union Station, primarily over the Union Pacific corridor.
Inland Empire-Orange County Line
The Inland Empire-Orange County Line provides direct connections between Riverside, Orange County, and Oceanside without requiring travel through Los Angeles.
91/Perris Valley Line
The 91/Perris Valley Line connects Riverside with Corona, Fullerton, Los Angeles, Moreno Valley, and Perris. Riverside-Downtown functions as an important junction between trains serving Los Angeles, Orange County, and the Perris Valley.
Amtrak Southwest Chief
Since 2002, Riverside-Downtown has been served by Amtrak’s Southwest Chief, connecting Southern California with destinations across the Southwest, Great Plains, and Midwest before reaching Chicago. The train links modern Riverside passenger service with the heritage of Santa Fe’s transcontinental operations; the original Santa Fe depot, about 1,000 feet away, closed on May 15, 1968.
Freight Railroad Operations
BNSF and Union Pacific routes pass through or near Riverside, creating opportunities to document intermodal and manifest freight trains, local switching, maintenance equipment, freight-passenger interactions, signals, and junction infrastructure.
Riverside as a Railroad Crossroads
- Santa Fe and the citrus industry
- Union Pacific and the Salt Lake Route
- Pacific Electric interurban service
- Amtrak long-distance service
- Three modern Metrolink routes
- BNSF and Union Pacific freight operations
Connection to Perris and Temecula
Riverside is the northern railroad gateway to WRA’s Perris and Temecula / Murrieta coverage. The pages should be cross-linked through California Southern history, Santa Fe development, Riverside County agriculture, the 91/Perris Valley Line, lost and surviving corridors, and the Southern California Railway Museum.
Railfan and Photography Information
Riverside-Downtown
- Metrolink trains from three routes
- Amtrak Southwest Chief
- Station activity
- Locomotive and cab-car operations
- Station architecture
- Signals and trackwork
- Day and night operations
Historic Depot Photography
- Union Pacific depot exterior
- Architectural details
- Former Pacific Electric connection
- Historic comparisons
- Relationship between the depot and active tracks
Freight Operations
- BNSF and Union Pacific freight trains
- Intermodal equipment
- Manifest consists
- Local switching
- Maintenance equipment
Safety and Courtesy
- Remain within public station areas
- Stay behind platform safety markings
- Use designated crossings
- Keep equipment clear of passengers
- Never enter railroad property or active tracks
- Respect railroad workers and station users
Why Riverside Matters
Riverside demonstrates the relationship between railroads, agriculture, urban development, and regional transportation. Riverside brings together an unusually wide range of distinct railroad stories.
Related Railroads
- Amtrak
- Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway
- BNSF Railway
- California Southern Railroad
- Metrolink
- Pacific Electric Railway
- San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad
- Union Pacific Railroad
Related Locations
- Colton
- Corona
- Fullerton
- Highgrove
- Los Angeles Union Station
- Moreno Valley
- Oceanside
- Perris
- San Bernardino
- Temecula / Murrieta
Related Museums
- Pacific Southwest Railway Museum
- RailGiants Train Museum
- Southern California Railway Museum
- Travel Town Museum
Gallery
Photo gallery coming soon.
- Riverside-Downtown Station
- Metrolink routes
- Southwest Chief
- Historic Union Pacific depot
- Santa Fe sites
- Pacific Electric history
- Citrus-industry railroading
- BNSF and Union Pacific freight operations
- Signals and junctions
- Night photography
- Maps and timetables
- Then-and-now comparisons
Western Rail Archive Notes
Riverside should serve as one of WRA’s principal Inland Empire location pages. It links railroad-driven agricultural growth with preserved architecture, national passenger service, regional commuter rail, freight operations, and connections to Perris and southwest Riverside County.
Archive Status
| Page Status | Category | Region | Gallery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundational Article | Locations | Inland Empire | In Development |